An open letter asking for the legalisation of medicinal cannabis has been sent to all Berkshire MPs.

Jon Liebling, a medical cannabis patient and political director of the United Patients Alliance, has written the letter telling Berkshire MPs it is time to stop criminalising medical cannabis patients.

Mr Liebling's letter calls on all local MPs to attend the debate and support the views of an estimated one million medical cannabis users.

The letter comes days before the planned parliamentary debate on the legalisation of cannabis on Monday, October 12. The debate comes after a petition on parliament's website gathered more than 220,000 signatures.

In it Mr Liebling says: "I have been treating my depression and anxiety through my choice to consume cannabis for most of my successful and productive, tax paying and law abiding (in all other aspects) life.

"The only time I stopped was after being arrested for growing my own and was given an anti-depressant instead.

"On the advice of my doctor I went back to consuming a more effective medicine with less undesirable side effects."

poll loading

Do you think Cannabis should be legalised in the UK?

0+ VOTES SO FAR

Read the full letter

Dear Berkshire MPs,

It's Time To Stop Criminalising Medical Cannabis Patients

I’m Jon Liebling and I am a Medical Cannabis Patient. I have been treating my depression and anxiety through my choice to consume cannabis for most of my successful and productive, tax paying and law abiding (in all other aspects) life. The only time I stopped was after being arrested for growing my own and was given an anti-depressant instead. Fluoxetine (Prozac) made me happy, sure, it made me happy with my suicidal thoughts. That experience nearly killed me. On the advice of my doctor I went back to consuming a more effective medicine with less undesirable side effects. “Prescription medicine has made me worse. The law has threatened me, criminalised me and taken my medicine away. Cannabis has done nothing but help - Ever!”

"cannabis has done nothing but help"

With a week to go before MPs debate the Sale, Production and Use of Cannabis from the recent petition that has raised nearly 220 000 signatures and stands as one of the biggest petitions on the government's website, the United Patients Alliance, who represent over 8000 medical cannabis patients in the UK and campaign for legal access to cannabis therapeutics feel that this is time for our voices to be heard.

Over the last few years, there has been a significant change in the public's attitude towards cannabis especially with regards to its medical benefits with recent polls showing that the majority of adults in the UK support legal access and an overwhelming majority supporting medical access. There are now 23 States in the US and 10 countries in the EU who have legal access to cannabis therapeutics. On top of that there are 3 US states, the latest being Oregon and many countries globally who have legalised cannabis for recreational use too and the impact of these changes has been seen to be overwhelmingly positive with none of the predicted negative outcomes being realised. Crime, car accidents, drug related deaths, addiction and even prescription drug abuse falling significantly not to mention the very welcome increase in tax revenue, all of which has been ring fenced for Schools, Education and health.

Chief Constable Tom Lloyd : "it can never be right for the police to arrest and prosecute someone for growing and consuming cannabis to treat serious medical conditions"

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Drug Law Reform, co-chaired my Baroness Meacher now has over 100 members across the House of Commons and Lords and is growing every week. At the same time a number of the Police and Crime Commissioners, most notably Ron Hogg, have aired their view that the enforcement of this law should be de-prioritised to allow time and resources to tackling and investigating crimes that directly impact the public such as burglary and other violent crime. All major political opposition parties (LibDems, Greens, Labour and UKIP) have now spoken out in favour of a review of drug policy and immediate medical access to cannabis.

Long term campaigner for drug law reform and former Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire, Tom Lloyd stated at a recent public meeting:

"Let's be clear, it can never be right for the police to arrest and prosecute someone for growing and consuming cannabis to treat serious medical conditions. Legal access to cannabis for all adults and legal access to cannabis for medical purposes for all."

Baroness Meacher, Life Peer in the House of Lords and Co-Chair of the APPG for Drug Policy Reform said:

"Cannabis significantly helps people with MS whose symptoms don't respond to traditional treatments. But cannabis also transforms the lives of people who live with chronic pain, children with very severe epilepsy, cancer patients and many others. Germany is among the European countries who have legalised cannabis for medical use. Britain urgently needs to catch up."

Baroness Meacher: "cannabis transforms the lives of people who live with chronic pain"

Our patients, who suffer from a range of conditions including; Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Crohn’s, Anxiety, Depression, AIDS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, ME, PTSD, Epilepsy, Chronic and Neuropathic Pain, have all found that various types and strengths of cannabis consumed in a variety of ways has proven to be a more effective medicine than their legal and prescribed alternatives in improving their lives, reducing side effects and treating their symptoms. These patients are forced to either live in unnecessary discomfort and pain or risk dealing with criminals for their medicine and a criminal record for growing it or consuming it.

Political Director, Jon Liebling asks "What compassionate society would allow the criminalisation of patients for consuming something with their doctors blessing that helps them manage and treat their illnesses and improves their lives?"

Clark French: "it is both cruel and callous to seek to arrest someone for consuming something which makes them feel better"

Founder of United Patients Alliance and Multiple Sclerosis patient Clark French says:

"Cannabis is medicine for thousands of UK patients suffering from chronic conditions, it is both cruel and callous to seek to arrest someone for consuming something which makes them feel better, we demand the government listens and changes the law to reflect the science and allow legal access to cannabis for all UK citizens who wish to benefit from cannabis' therapeutic potential"

I call on all our local MPs to attend the debate and support the views of an estimated 1m medical cannabis users in the UK today and the majority of UK citizens. It is time to end this costly, damaging and ineffective policy towards cannabis and to grant legal access to cannabis therapeutics and STOP criminalising medical cannabis patients